Weekend Expenses: My Medium-Budget Long Weekend in Mexico City

As a photographer from California, I recently took a weekend trip to Mexico City with my girlfriend.

I'd heard countless stories about the city's vibrancy. With its close distance to Los Angeles, I had to explore its thrilling food culture, top-notch museums, chic neighborhoods, and stunning parks myself.

My main worry before the trip was: how would I manage to experience all of this in just three days?

Pre-trip expenses

Accommodation: $163.34 per person for four nights at an Airbnb in Roma Norte.

On-site experience

Thursday itinerary

Airport Transportation: We arrived late Thursday evening, and our transport choices were limited. Inside the airport, we were quoted 580 pesos ($32.98) for a taxi; however, outside, the fare was 275 pesos ($15.63). After some confusion, we discovered that Uber was actually the cheapest option at just 199 pesos ($11.34), so we opted for that.

Total: $5.67 (my share of the costs; my girlfriend and I split everything evenly)

Friday activities

Breakfast: We enjoyed two coffees and chilaquiles at a local spot called Enhorabuena Café for 260 pesos ($14.79). Since tap water isn't safe to drink in CDMX, we also bought a two-liter bottle of water for 22 pesos ($1.25) to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Lunch: After spending a few hours exploring Roma Norte and nearby Condesa, we stopped for lunch: eight incredibly delicious tacos from a street vendor (Tacos Chanito) for a total of 150 pesos ($8.53), which included a 50 pesos tip.

Activities: We then took an Uber (210 pesos / $11.95) to the Museo Frida Kahlo, which had an entry fee of 250 pesos ($14.22). Afterwards, we spent the afternoon exploring local markets, including the Mercado de Coyoacán, before heading back to our Airbnb on the Metro for just 10 pesos each ($0.57).

Dinner: You might think I had my fill of tacos for the day, but there’s always room for more! For dinner, we indulged in more tacos at the renowned Tacos Orinoco (286 pesos / $16.27), followed by drinks at La Clandestina, a popular local cocktail bar (305 pesos / $17.35).

Total: $49.57

Saturday

Breakfast: We enjoyed a delicious breakfast at WO Barra De Café (I chose chilaquiles, while my girlfriend opted for eggs) totaling 278 pesos ($15.82). We also picked up another bottle of water for the day (22 pesos / $1.25) before heading out.

Activities: Next, we took an Uber (119 pesos / $6.77) to Centro Histórico, the historic center of CDMX. We could have taken the Metro, but decided the extra cost was worth the time saved.

In the morning, we wandered around, visiting Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Zócalo before heading to another part of town. With traffic being chaotic, we thought it would be easier to take a taxi instead of calling an Uber—definitely a mistake. We ended up paying 510 pesos ($29.01), probably about double what we should have. You learn as you go.

Lunch & Activities: After a quick lunch of tacos, tortas, grilled onions, and a beer (341 pesos / $19.40), we made our way to the Museo Nacional de Antropología. It's among the most-visited museums globally and boasts an incredible collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts. The entrance fee was just 90 pesos each ($5.12), and honestly, we could have spent the entire day (or more) in this amazing place. One day isn't nearly enough.

Snacks: When we finally pulled ourselves away, we took a leisurely walk home with a stop at the charming Pasteleria Suiza for some treats. These pastries were as delicious as they were beautiful – we picked up two for 105 pesos ($5.97).

Dinner: We treated ourselves to dinner at Meroma, a fancy restaurant where our meal—featuring vibrant ceviche, grilled artichokes, crispy farm-raised pig, and wine—cost us a total of 2004 pesos ($114.01).

Total: $101.23

Sunday

Breakfast: We kicked off Sunday with an early morning trip to Teotihuacán, a massive archaeological site located 30 miles (50km) from the city. We fueled up with two espressos and a mango smoothie at La Balance (153 pesos / $8.70) to get our day started right.

Activities: To save time, we opted for an Uber to Teotihuacán (664 pesos / $37.77) and paid a 90 pesos ($5.12) entrance fee. We hired a tour guide for two hours at 1000 pesos ($56.89). Having a guide has always enhanced my sightseeing experiences, making it worth the extra cost. We then took the bus back home for 60 pesos each ($3.41).

Lunch: For lunch, we shared a delicious plate of tacos and tamales for 150 pesos ($8.53) at the little gem, El Turix. On our way home, we couldn’t resist stopping by Pasteleria Suiza for another round of pastries since it was just around the corner from our Airbnb. We spent 95 pesos ($5.40) on what I believe was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted.

Dinner: After a busy day, we strolled around our neighborhood before having an amazing dinner and drinks at Polpo, a classy bar we stumbled upon. Three shared dishes (including creamy saffron rice with prawns and crispy beef with a smoky coffee rub) and two cocktails totaled 1132 pesos ($64.40).

Total: $99.35

Monday

Airport Transportation: With a heavy heart, we left for the airport at 5am, catching an off-peak Uber for 109 pesos ($6.20).

Total: $3.10

The final amount: $422.26

Although I usually travel on a tight budget, my girlfriend and I were willing to splurge a bit on this mini vacation. Mexico City is easily enjoyable on a budget, especially with its amazing street food and casual eateries. We noticed that cocktails were relatively pricey compared to food, so it's something to keep in mind for a night out. On the bright side, beers were reasonably priced.

We also ended up spending a fair amount on transportation, opting for Ubers and taxis to save time; however, the Metro is a budget-friendly option that covers the entire city. To minimize travel time, I recommend carefully selecting your neighborhood for accommodation. We picked Roma Norte for its proximity to excellent restaurants, cafes, bars, and art venues.